[Saturday Reads] A Comic Version of the Structure and Function of the Brain in “Neurocomic”

It is my first time to share in the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge – viewed like inspired by Fats’ active involvement in this reading challenge since last year. Here are the books I endeavoured to know fully for the whole year. While we try in the same manner with much as we can to sudden the said books into our study of books themes, there are some that plainly defy themed classifications such as the unit I am sharing today.

Neurocomic

Written and Illustrated through : Dr. Matteo Farinella and Dr. Hana RošPublished through : Nobrow Press, 2013 with the stay of Wellcome TrustBorrowed through inter-library loan.

One of the items in the Read Harder Challenge is to understand a nonfiction book about science. I study it is as good a time taken in the character of any to sink my teeth into this graphic novel that depicts the inner mysteries and manifold intricacies of the brain – and I was not disappointed. It reminded me of my universal school years when we had to take a hunt module called Psychobiology where we had to study the natural structure of the brain, its mutable layerings and cross-sections, as well as each of the tiny part’s functions. When I started instruction my psychology students, this was the same of the subjects that I did not own a chance to teach them. This main division by Drs. Farinella and Roš would possess definitely come in handy.

The images for the re~on that you can see above are in sheer black-and-white that I feel cause it even more effective. I likewise liked the manner in which the factual complaint is presented with such clarity what one. I think could also be attributed to the monochromatic format. In conformity with the convoluted nature of the brain, the fiction has its story-within-a-statement going, delightfully meta in its representation of a dependant who found himself trapped in a stranger’s brain and perceiving it while a “dense forest.”

The main division is divided into five sections (excluding the Prologue and Epilogue what one. are intriguing as well): Morphology, Pharmacology, Electrophysiology, Plasticity, and Synchronicity. I make no doubt of if I would review my antique Biopsychology text, the chapters would most likely have been arranged in a similar fashion. Farinella and Roš be seized of done a commendable job of fabrication something that may be otherwise perceived similar to ‘dry’ by the average reader in of that kind an engaging format, especially as they begin important neuroscientists who were influential in shaping the province and allowed us a more remind of glimpse into the workings of the brain (view Santiago Ramon y Cajal above).

I also liked revisiting a few concepts that I tried actual hard to visualize before as a psychology undergraduate and made infinitely simpler in this neurocomic:

Even the neurotransmitters had their allow distinct traits and characteristics, not to mention appearance:

Needless to say, the reader is proficient to sense the painstaking care that Farinella and Roš used in ensuring that the porter narrative format is engaging and understandable, well-proportioned in its simplicity yet it does not cheat complex concepts at the same time – in ~ degree mean feat, really. Here is the Neuroland in lively representation:

My absolute favourite, though, is for what cause the comics represented Pavlovian classical conditioning. This is undivided of the things I still act as ~er in my teacher-training institute in the same manner with I discuss the fields of thought that led to behaviorism and principles of reinforcement. See Pavlov’s dog illustrated underneath:

I do believe, unreservedly, that this bequeath be a perfect supplementary text to teachers of psychobiology, or virtuous about anyone who would like to be informed the highly complex nature of the brain. Here is a division to Neurocomic’s official website. I am moreover glad to find this youtube clip that documents the creative course that Farinella and Roš went from one side to create this gorgeous book. Enjoy!